Welcome Thank you for your interest in becoming the All Saints’ Madeley new vicar of the parishes of All Saints’ Madeley and St. Margaret’s .

and We hope you will find all the information you need in this profile and that the following pages give you a flavour of our churches and St Margaret’s Betley the parishes we serve.

We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us, and you, in making decisions about who will join us as we take forward our visions of ministry

within our churches and to our wider

communities.

Melanie Deacon Kevin Hamer Elizabeth Walklett Jennifer Walton Churchwardens, Churchwardens, All Saints’, St. Margaret’s,

Madeley Betley The Parishes together Parishes The

August 2020 Celebrating God ’s love 1

Contents ◆ The parishes together 2 Our new vicar: 6 All Saints’ Madeley and St Margaret’s Betley ◆ The person we seek and what we offer These two thriving parishes, held in plurality, each serve different village communities. ◆ All Saints’ Madeley 8 We are energetic and proactive in our commitment to the Madeley: the village 15 mission of Christ’s church, looking outwards to our ◆ communities and using our different traditions and talents to Betley: the village 17 make known the ‘inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ’. ◆ Both parishes are intent on helping people understand and respond to the message of the Gospel. St Margaret’s Betley 20 ◆ The two parishes came together in plurality in 2002, and the Appendix: 29 relationship between us has grown steadily since then to ◆ Service patterns and attendance mutual benefit. In practical terms we share both lay and ordained ministerial resources; the diverse talents present in the two churches contribute to our differing styles of worship but also bring a richness to those events in which we all participate. This has been especially valuable and effective in joint weekly online worship during the Coronavirus crisis. In normal times we enjoy worshipping together at special festivals and confirmation services, and each month at Living Streams praise. In recent years we have joined forces in a number of areas for more effective witness including an annual Alpha programme, a fortnightly Youth Group, and weekly Praise and Play. As part of our commitment to spiritual growth, in 2019 seventy people of all ages took part in an Away Weekend at Cloverley Hall Christian Conference Centre in Shropshire. This offered a welcome retreat, time to worship, reflect and learn, and a All Saints’ Church St Margaret’s Church fantastic opportunity to encounter God together in an informal Vicarage Lane Church Lane setting. We have another weekend planned for October 2021. The Parishes together Parishes The Madeley Betley There is information about our shared activities on pages 4 Crewe and 5. CW3 9PH CW3 9AX Celebrating God’s love 2 About the parishes The Vicarage and Administration The plurality is provided with a spacious purpose-built four- bedroom vicarage with a study, situated close to All Saints’ Church, Madeley. Its garden is reasonable in size and easily maintained. The Parish Office has administrative support for 6 hours per week. Employment is through Madeley PCC, but support is given to both parishes with a proportionate sharing of costs. The administrator is currently located in the study of the vicarage but alternative arrangements can be considered. Substantial administrative support is provided voluntarily within each parish.

Downstairs Upstairs Outside Two reception rooms Three double bedrooms Side garden Study One single bedroom Rear walled garden Kitchen Family bathroom Single garage

Cloakroom with toilet Parking for multiple vehicles Location and Connections Utility Room Betley and Madeley are located where the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire and meet. There are excellent road connections, with the M6 nearby (junctions 15 and 16) and rail links from Crewe or Stoke-on-Trent which enable direct travel to most parts of the country, as well as to more local places such as Chester and Shrewsbury. A regular bus service runs between , Crewe and Newcastle-under-Lyme (via Madeley) with onward connections at each end. Manchester Airport is 50 minutes’ drive. The West Coast mainline runs to the west of the villages. Planned work on HS2 (phase 2a to Crewe) will take place further away than the existing lines. The two churches are four miles apart (about 10 minutes by car). Travel expenses are naturally met by the PCCs.

Celebrating God’s love 3 Our shared activities ...

Alpha “Alpha course has been really important for me to galvanise and A joint Alpha course is run annually, with eight to twelve participants understand my faith. I now feel part of each year. It is overseen by our Ministry team and we have several a very friendly community and cannot lay speakers who contribute to the topical talks. Some speakers are thank the course members enough.” - former Alpha participants themselves, which is a great testimony of Iain how Alpha has contributed to their faith journey and enabled them to share their experiences. Members in the past have gone on to form or join our fellowship groups.

The Community of St. Chad is a Diocesan initiative, dating from Praise and Play 2012 and strongly This weekly group for babies, toddlers, “We look forward to Praise and Play endorsed by the current pre-school children and their grown-ups and felt so much a part of the group Bishop of Lichfield. meets at All Saints’. Sessions have been from day one. We have made friends mainly led by our vicar and curate, with and feel supported by the church Its geographically dispersed a strong group of volunteers from both community. The sessions are the membership, which includes a good Madeley and Betley. perfect balance of chatting, singing, number from Madeley and Betley, is playing, crafting, story-telling, praying united by a desire to grow in depth and eating biscuits. The vicar works of discipleship. Members share a very hard to ensure everyone feels commitment to a spiritual lifestyle included. The children are all made to shaped by five Rhythms of Grace feel individually special and quickly learn the routine and what to expect. and by participation in a Spiritual The format works! The welcoming Companion Group. community spirit that comes with Each year it holds an annual service these weekly sessions is absolutely of recommitment and also a key to their success with regular Teaching Event, the most recent of church goers and non-church goers alike.” which was held in Madeley Church in Catherine September 2019.

Celebrating God’s love 4 ... Our shared activities

Madeley and Betley Youth Group The Youth Group is for secondary school students in both parishes who are interested in exploring topics of faith and other life issues. It’s a great mixture of fun, discussion and activities led by the curate and volunteers (but not “The youth group is a fun, informal parents!). It meets in the Reading Room in Betley twice a month on Sunday chance to catch up with each other and afternoons and has a usual attendance of eight. to have discussions about church and other worldly topics. We play games, eat and talk openly; learning more about the Bible, each other and our thoughts and opinions. We have also had lots of is a teaching and healing ministry established 15 visiting speakers, baking sessions and a years ago to encourage and nurture Christian discipleship, and to trip to the tennis court- and have promote and facilitate Christian healing. It is rooted in the two recently had lots of fun over Zoom!“ parishes but draws folk from a wider area and provides more informal - Rose worship and prayer led by ordained and lay ministers and a small instrumental group. This ministry is overseen by an Ordained Local Minister.

Pilgrimage “We spent a memorable week with a group from Betley and Madeley In 2018 a group from both parishes walking St Cuthbert’s Way from completed the St. Cuthbert’s Way Melrose to Lindisfarne – 64 miles pilgrimage from Melrose to in 7 days!” Lindisfarne. - Sue and Mike

Celebrating God’s love 5 Our new vicar … and what we offer

The Role of the Vicar of Madeley and of Betley is to:  provide spiritual leadership, vision and encouragement in the mission and ministry of two thriving Christian communities  lead worship, undertake pastoral and teaching ministries and conduct baptisms, weddings and funerals  represent the church in both parishes, undertaking ex-officio duties including with local schools and charities  work collaboratively with ordained and lay ministers and with church officers  work closely and regularly with primary and secondary schools  build on our children’s and families’ ministry in Praise & Play, Messy Church and the Youth Group  discern the needs of both parishes and prioritise accordingly

What we are offering:  two friendly villages, with church members who are committed to their faith journeys together  active and regular support from ministry and leadership teams, and from volunteers within the communities  dedicated part-time administrative support  respect for your days off and holidays  a comfortable vicarage with a garden and close to All Saints’ Madeley  a beautiful rural location with good transport links

Celebrating God’s love 6 Our new vicar … the person we seek

A true disciple of Christ who  has a strong Christ-centred life grounded in personal prayer  has a passion for bringing people to faith in Christ  has a love of scripture and an ability to teach others its relevance and purpose for their lives  has a willingness to embrace and develop diverse styles of worship and music A leader who  is happy to be a spiritual and prayerful focus for PCCs, ministry teams, fellowship groups and congregations  is an enthusiastic and effective communicator who can convey the message of the Gospel both within and beyond the church  has energy, imagination and motivation to grow our churches spiritually and numerically  identifies and uses opportunities to engage those outside the church A pastor and teacher who  will listen to and support people and families of all cultures and backgrounds both church and non-church, in their journey of life and faith  is prepared to be visible and available in both communities  is willing and able to establish a rapport with young people from infancy to maturity through school and church  is able to encourage and act as mentor to existing and future lay leaders in all aspects of church life  actively participates in Christian fellowships in both parishes A team player who  works with and through PCCs and leadership teams, sharing direction of worship and parish affairs  encourages all-member ministry of all ages  organises his/her time, shares information and will delegate where appropriate

Celebrating God’s love 7 All Saints’ Madeley: Where are we now? ...

We are an open and welcoming congregation We take time to ensure that newcomers of all backgrounds are made welcome and quickly feel part of the church family. Our beautiful Grade I listed building has been sensitively adapted and offers both large and small worship spaces which are family-friendly and accessible to all. There is a disabled access ramp though the churchyard from Vicarage Lane, where there is a Council-owned car park. Whilst we do not have a church hall, the inclusion of refreshment facilities, comfortable sofas, play tables and accessible toilets allows us to use the church for social occasions as well as worship. Church members coming from many different backgrounds and denominational traditions and from neighbouring areas are all made warmly welcome. We are an accredited Dementia Friendly Church.

"Though our family circumstances are, perhaps, not usual ones, we were still made so welcome." (Parent)

We enjoy our worship and music Our main Sunday morning worship is vibrant and informal in style, following Common Worship liturgy. We embrace both traditional and more modern forms of music and worship. Other services are quieter and more reflective. We are fortunate to have a large pool of talented ordained and lay

Madeley people who contribute to our services. We make extensive use of our excellent audio-visual system, including screens for hymns and video, recording of sermons and amplification for our music group. We use a variety of hymns and worship songs, accompanied by organ, electric piano or our music group. At major festivals we form a ‘scratch’ choir. Our musicians, including paid and voluntary organists, are led by our Music Co-ordinator.

Celebrating and sharing God’s love 8 ... All Saints’ Madeley: Where are we now? ...

We have a strong ministry to families and children We have one Sunday School group (Church for Kids), currently with children aged 5-9, although the age-range is flexible and previously we have also had an additional group for older children. For families with younger children, there is an area within the church with comfortable All Saints’ is a really special family sofas, toys and books. For secondary school-aged children there is a where everyone feels loved and valued. joint youth group with the young people of St. Margaret’s (see page 5). People go above and beyond to make you We switched to using the Energize materials from Urban Saints about 18 feel special and involved. For instance, months ago. We long to see our children and young people not just when we recently had a baby, members learning about the Christian faith but connecting fully with God for of the church organised a rota to cook themselves. our first week of meals. This hospitality, Almost two years ago we established a Faith and Family group for love for others and kindness epitomises parents and carers. Recognising that children spend far more time at how faith is lived out at All Saints’. home than at church activities, the group aims to support those trying to - Young parents nurture faith in the children in their care. During 2018-19 the group worked through BRF’s Parenting for Faith course and has since continued to meet monthly for friendship, encouragement, Bible-study and prayer. The popular Praise & Play group is held weekly on Monday mornings in term time with volunteers from both All Saints’ and St. Margaret’s (see above). We have run Messy Church events for many years at Christmas and Easter and these are also very well attended, mainly attracting families of primary school-aged children. Our puppet ministry, Gloved Gospel, makes much loved appearances at Messy Church and other festival services. Our annual Christingle and Crib services are well supported by the whole village. Connecting with the village’s schools is an important part of the church’s ministry to children, with clergy taking weekly assemblies at both primary schools and also occasionally at the secondary school. During the past year a youth group, led mainly by our curate, has started meeting monthly at lunchtime at . This group of currently eight young people, who would not otherwise be involved in church life, have been working through Youth Alpha material. We want to build further on all these ministries.

Celebrating and sharing God’s love 9 ... All Saints’ Madeley: Where are we now? ...

We value exploring and deepening our faith A number of house and fellowship groups, several of which have grown out of Alpha courses (see page 4), The church as we see it today: a place of warmth run throughout the year, and have proved spiritually and welcome, with young infants to people in strengthening and encouraging through prayer and the their 90s, and with outreach into the community use of a variety of resources such as following the (Former Worship Leader) week's sermon or studying a book of the Bible, or a particular theme/topic.

We take our church out into the community The ministry extends beyond the church building and includes regular communion services at the village sheltered housing complex, and home communions. The ‘Simply Allsorts’ community choir had its foundation in the church and many of the congregation are members. There is a Food Bank in the church building each Wednesday, which is run by both members of the church and others from the village. Church members play an active part as governors at the local CE primary school and the clergy lead assemblies in the village schools. Outside giving is a very important part of our Mission (see page 14). Our church magazine is distributed in the village to subscribers and in addition we produce an annual Christmas version which is distributed free to every home. Our Facebook Page is widely read throughout the year, and has proved invaluable during lockdown, during which our magazine has been available free online.

Celebrating and sharing God’s love 10 ... All Saints’ Madeley: Where are we now?

Staffing and Leadership The vicar is supported by a Ministry team and a Management team which, whilst subordinate to the PCC, share leadership of the ministry and management of the church. Membership of both teams is role-specific and is open to change as others are ‘called out’ to serve. There is considerable lay leadership of fellowship groups and worship, and lay participation in all aspects of ministry. The Ministry Team has recently been re-formed and acts as enabler, encouraging others in the use of their talents, both lay and clergy. Retired clergy and readers also reside in the parish.

The Vicar Vacancy

Curate Rev. John Beswick Pallister (both parishes) Pattern of Services and Attendance Details of our pattern of services and attendances are Ordained Local Minister Rev. Alan Bailey (both parishes) shown in the Appendix.

Licensed Reader Jean Ainsworth (both parishes) Over the last 15 years attendance at Sunday worship at All Saints’ has increased by about 50%, although that Churchwardens Melanie Deacon Liz Walklett has been more static in recent years. While children’s attendance at Praise and Play has been a great success Lay Chair of PCC Stephen Clifford (also Treasurer) in recent years, we would dearly like to see a growth in our Sunday numbers, which have sadly dropped. Music Co-ordinator Judith Bailey

Parish Secretary Gina Joyce

Celebrating and sharing God’s love 11 All Saints’ Madeley: Where are we going? ...

Parish Vision Consider joining a Home Group that studies and discusses Our strapline is: Celebrating and sharing God’s love. the Bible and its relevance for Christians in the world today. All Saints’ Parish Vision 2017 identifies areas we want to 2. Vocation is for every Christian, but each individual’s vocation develop. will be different. We should encourage every church member to discover and engage in those activities that God is calling them “The Bishop of Lichfield has set out his three priorities for to. Examples are: the Diocese: Discipleship; Vocation; Evangelism. Our Parish Vision seeks to reflect these priorities. Taking part in organizations that serve the local community. The Bishop has also endorsed the Community of St. Chad Helping with voluntary activities, such as the Food Bank or and its five Rhythms of Grace. These are: the Tidy Group. 1. By God’s grace, I will seek to be transformed Serving on the PCC or other church working-groups. into the likeness of Christ. Taking part in the church’s activities for children or the 2. By God’s grace, I will be open to the presence, elderly. guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. Taking part in leading church services and other ministries. 3. By God’s grace, I will set aside time for prayer, 3. Evangelism (Outreach) is seeking to draw people of all ages worship and spiritual reading. in our village to become followers of Christ. We should 4. By God’s grace, I will endeavour to be a therefore: gracious presence in the world, serving others and Engage with village residents e.g. through School services working for justice in human relationships and and assemblies, Baptisms, Wedding Preparation, Lea Court social structures. and Madeley Manor services, Memorial Services, Praise and 5. By God’s grace, I will sensitively share my faith Play. with others and support God’s mission both locally Equip ourselves to witness sensitively to family, friends and and globally. work colleagues. This is the background and basis for our Vision Statement: Encourage every member to pray for people they regularly 1. Discipleship is following Jesus as his apprentice and is encounter in their daily lives. essentially the same for every church member. It is Encourage fellowship with the wider Christian family. basically a call to each individual to develop a life of prayer, study and service. We should therefore encourage Develop a wider understanding of Christian faith by all members of our congregations to: presenting an Alpha Course, or similar, each year. Cultivate a daily devotional time that includes prayer Continue to develop the range and content of our various and Bible reading. The church should provide communications, e.g. website, Facebook page, notice teaching and resources to help people to establish this boards, Church Magazine, pew sheet, Grapevine.” habit. (Note: Madeley Manor has now closed; Grapevine was a former name for the Regularly attend church services and other occasions annual free magazine at Christmas.) of Christian worship, teaching and fellowship. Celebrating and sharing God’s love 12 ... All Saints’ Madeley: Where are we going?

The future at All Saints’ We remain a growing congregation, when taking our full range of services into account, with people of many denominations and traditions drawn to worship in our parish church. Many come from outside the Parish borders to join us – the complete revision of our Electoral Roll in 2019 registered 131 members, with 34 residing outside Madeley. We would love to see our church family grow in all areas, but particularly to build on the success of Praise and Play. Unfortunately, we have often lost contact with families once children have started school. We also recognise that children, who had been attending regularly, have sometimes stopped coming to Sunday services once they reach later primary years. We had been planning to start a monthly Messy Church-style service to reach out to families of primary-aged children. Coronavirus has led to a delay in plans but as lockdown eases, drawing in this group remains a priority, and we are excited about exploring how we do this with our new vicar. We are always open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit as to the direction in which the church will be taken. We recognise that we will still be rebuilding and recovering from the effects of lockdown when our new vicar joins us. The longed for resumption of services in church, together with other ways of going forward, need to draw on the successes and learning gained from this period, such as the popularity of the online services attended by the wider community. In this we have been working closely with Betley, and it has increased our already growing use of social media. We look forward to sharing this journey with our new vicar.

“Encourages the congregation to Website: http://www.allsaints-madeley.org.uk/ develop their own individual gifts and talents and to get Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsaintsmadeley/ involved in a all aspects of A Church Near You: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/4388/ church life.” (Member of congregation) Village site: http://www.madeleyvillage.co.uk/community-public-services/churches/

Celebrating and sharing God’s love 13 All Saints’ Madeley Finance: We are solvent! Graveyards We rely principally on the regular giving of the congregation for our income. Both the churchyard at the church itself, We pay our parish share of £37,100 (£37,800 in 2020) in full and indeed and that opened in the 1930s on nearby ahead of time, and so, together with Betley, more than meet the full cost of Manor Road, have been formally closed, our incumbent. We support a range of charities, including Operation except for use of existing family graves, Christmas Child, The Children’s Society, Send a Cow, Christian Aid, Christian and the PCC is not responsible for their Solidarity Worldwide, Donna Louise Trust, Sanctus St. Mark’s and Mampong upkeep. The local cemetery is adjacent to Orphanage in Ghana, where we have a special link with the Kumasi Diocese. the Manor Road churchyard. These gifts are funded both from the general income of the Parish and through special collections and events. It is our policy to give not less than 10% of our net income each year to outside causes and charities. Thanks to the continuing generosity of our congregation, we have no concerns about the effect on our finances of lockdown. Full accounts are available on request.

Church Building All Saints’ Church is a Grade I listed building and the site has borne witness to a Christian presence in the village for over 1000 years. The earliest remaining parts date from the 12th Century, with much of the rest being of 15th Century construction. Its exterior and interior have been much influenced by passing Weddings Baptisms and generations, and now more recently the interior has been extensively Funerals modernised. In 2019 there were two weddings (below In the course of 2007/09 we undertook a major re-ordering of the church, average – four were scheduled in 2020 revealing the hidden 1872 tile work in the Chancel, clearing the Lady Chapel before lockdown intervened), 10 baptisms (South Transept) and side Aisles of old pews, the wood from which has been and 13 funerals at All Saints’, together used to construct new screens, cupboards, book stands and our sound desk, with five Crematorium services. Baptisms, and replacing the lost reredos from the 1872 restoration with a new piece, both for children and adults, are usually supported by a grant from the Borough Council. We installed new lighting at the conducted within the Sunday Family start of 2009, revealing more of our painted ceiling, and soon after constructed Services and occasionally within the the disabled access ramp through the churchyard. Parish Eucharist service (usually The Church is in good repair, with work already in hand that was required by congregation members). the latest Quinquennial Inspection, in 2019. In April 2011 we at last marked a While recognising that these are matters great tragedy in the industrial history of the Parish, with the unveiling of a of conscience for the new vicar, the PCC memorial near the South Porch. This commemorates 31 of the 62 men and boys is happy to accept the re-marriage of of the morning shift at the Fair Lady Pit, Leycett who died on 21st January 1880. divorcees in church, and the baptism of These 31 were buried in our churchyard in the course of the morning of the children of unmarried or same sex 25th January 1880. parents, at the discretion of the vicar, in consultation with the Bishop.

Celebrating and sharing God’s love 14

Madeley: the village ...

Location and Focus The village of Madeley, with its picturesque pool and rolling countryside, is situated on the A525 between the University village of and the village of Woore on the Cheshire/Shropshire border - quite a distance from the Bishop’s Seat in Lichfield. Madeley itself has as its main focal points All Saints’ Church and, in 2011, the eco-friendly Community Centre and adjacent apartment complex for the elderly was opened. The Community Centre madeleycentre.co.uk is a hive of activity providing resources for both young and old. It is geared ideally for the 21st century with its coffee/dining area, bar area, computer hub, police centre, and outreach post office on a Tuesday. There is a main function hall along with a number of side rooms for meetings by smaller activity groups. The adjacent Lea Court has 63 two-bedroomed flats. The village has a very proactive Parish Council, Tidy Group and Conservation Group which, working in conjunction with Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, endeavour to ensure the best possible environment for both Madeley and its residents. Further details of the village can be obtained from madeleyvillage.co.uk

Celebrating and sharing God’s love 15

... Madeley: the village Services and Education The amenities within the village are varied and include doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries, chemist, Post Office (Tuesday in the Community Centre), pet shop, hairdressers, three takeaways (Indian, Chinese, Fish and Chip), an Indian Restaurant, four public houses throughout the parish, a Working Men’s Club, butchers’ and three general stores (Co-op, One Stop and Premier). The police station is situated within the Community Centre. Activities that take place in and around the village include ‘Simply Allsorts’ community choir, U3A, indoor bowls, Cubs and Scouts, keep fit, bell ringing and many others The primary schools both have before and after school clubs, and pre-school facilities are provided at Sir John Offley School Nursery and at Little HoneyBees, based at the Community Centre. There are also numerous other secondary and tertiary colleges in the surrounding towns.

Housing and Community “A great feature of Madeley church is that it has a cross section of society as its members, The village comprises three main areas, Madeley, Middle from the different socio-economic groups Madeley and Madeley Heath, which along with the other that make up the village.” outlying villages of Leycett and Onneley form the parish of (Member of congregation) Madeley with a total population of 4,200 (2011 Census). Within the village there is a range of mixed housing. Madeley has developed considerably over the last 20 years with new estates being generated by both housing Our schools associations and private development. There are also a number of older historic buildings within the village with Sir John Offley Primary School approx 150 pupils architectural significance - the Grade II* listed Old Hall The Meadows Primary School approx 87 pupils was built about 1530. It is now a privately owned small country house hotel. 641 pupils, 45% coming from a wider Secondary: Madeley (High) School catchment area of the surrounding villages.

Celebrating and sharing God’s love 16 Betley: the village ...

Location and Connections The small rural village of Betley and the adjacent village of lie astride the A531 on the Staffordshire/Cheshire border, equidistant from the Staffordshire market town of Newcastle-under- Lyme in the south, the conurbation of Crewe in the north and the Cheshire market town of Nantwich to the north west. Stoke-on-Trent and the Potteries lie just further to the east. The civil parish covers the villages of Betley, and Wrinehill. Ecclesiastical boundaries with the Chester Diocese border the village to the north and west.

Housing and Community

The population of the civil parish is approximately 1200. Betley is largely a commuter village for the Potteries, Keele University and Crewe as well as Manchester and Birmingham. A third of the population are retired, many from professional and managerial roles. Betley is first mentioned in the Domesday Book, and was granted the right to hold a market in 1226, though this no longer takes place. The village developed as a medieval settlement and some of the oldest buildings date from around 1600. The centre of the village is a Conservation Area and Betley many houses have listed status. From the 1950s onwards pockets of new development have been permitted, creating a mix of housing association and private properties. Much of the surrounding countryside is designated as Green Belt which limits possible developments, and starter homes and rental properties are in short supply. There are around 20 working mixed farms in the civil parish, mainly livestock but with some arable and an increasing diversification into other activities including holiday cottages, a wedding venue, upholsterers, a farm shop and a tea room.

Celebrating, sharing and growing in God’s love 17 ... Betley: the village ...

St. Margaret’s Church is a village focal point, being a Grade I listed building believed to date from the early 13th century. The external building material is local sandstone, and the interior is particularly unusual being one of only two churches in the country which retain so much timber in their construction. The pillars in the central arcades each consist of a single trunk of Spanish Chestnut. There are numerous stained-glass windows including a War Memorial window which has recently been enhanced with a Roll of Honour listing local men who were killed in the two World Wars.

Community life is strong and vibrant with over 30 societies covering a wide range of interests. There has been an annual Betley Show and Country Fair for over 160 years and the Betley Bonfire attracts large crowds from a wide area. An annual two-day bike ride from Holyhead (Anglesey) to Betley is organised by the Betley Bike Curious charity. All these events generate thousands of pounds in donations to local charities and societies. The Village Hall is the focal point for many activities such as ‘Mums & Tots’, exercise and dance classes, indoor bowls, and the Betley Amateur Theatrical Society who put on two performances each year. There are also tennis courts, a bowling green and recently refurbished children’s play area. The Reading Room (run by St. Margaret’s) is another popular venue in the centre of the village (see page 24). It is often said locally that “an awful lot goes on in Betley” and it’s true.

Celebrating, sharing and growing in God’s love 18 ... Betley: the village

Education and Services Betley is served by two schools: a CE Primary next to the church (112 pupils including nursery), and the Secondary school in Madeley. As well as the school nursery there is also a pre-school in the village and The Academy for Performing Arts – a theatre and dance school. We are blessed with a small but busy village shop/Post Office and there is a tea room and four excellent pubs, three of which serve food. The local office of NFU Insurance is in the village. Doddlespool Hall, now a care home, is on the edge of the parish. There is a single doctor surgery with dispensary in Wrinehill and a thriving veterinary practice in Betley.

There is more information about village activities here: BBW Parish Council Betley School The Academy for Performing Arts Betley Village Hall The Betley Show and Country Fair Betley Bonfire Betley Bike Curious Betley Surgery Celebrating, sharing and growing in God’s love 19 St Margaret’s Betley ...

St Margaret’s Church We are a lively, forward-thinking, family-friendly community of Christians drawn from many different denominations and backgrounds. We rejoice in this and share the desire to assist one another in discovering our full potential in Christ. We are also an outward-looking church, and our mission is to help people become devoted followers of Jesus Christ, regardless of age or situation. We engage with the world around us in a variety of ways and included in this is our intention to use the Eco Church framework to assess and improve our care of God's creation.

“There is such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere in church and in the church community for everyone’” - Clare

Our Vision for the Future Our vision for St. Margaret’s is to celebrate, share and grow in God’s love. Through our worship, prayer, fellowship and pastoral care, we want that love and the good news of Jesus Christ to be widely known and understood in the village. We know that if others are to come to faith we must be a prayerful community of believers which has Christ at the centre, inspiring our personal and church lives. The Church must be a significant presence in the life of the village, taking the Gospel beyond the church community, and nurturing people and families of all ages. In this context, our clear safeguarding policies and practices are regularly reviewed at PCC. In our new vicar we seek an energetic and enthusiastic leader who is happy to be a visible spiritual focus, who can build on the considerable resources at St. Margaret’s and who will develop the potential witness in its membership. We are looking for someone who will bring new ideas to the parish and will work with existing church members to manage the challenges and opportunities of change.

Celebrating, sharing and growing in God’s love 20 ... St Margaret’s Betley ...

Our Priorities Our priorities reflect the Diocesan emphasis on Discipleship, Vocation and Evangelism 1) To engage with the wider community by: • providing opportunities to experience worship in ways attractive to all generations, especially families and those under 60 • building lasting relationships through all ‘rites of passage’ and pastoral care opportunities • using our strong relationship with Betley Primary School to nurture young people through their Primary years and involve them in Sunday worship • encouraging involvement in Alpha courses and similar explorations of faith, and resourcing the leadership of these activities • maximising community involvement in existing and new church sponsored activities (e.g. Eco Church, bell ringing, choir, social events). 2) To encourage the faith of our members by: • maintaining and developing our regular midweek fellowship groups for enjoyable sharing, discussion and learning • developing our ministry to children through Sunday morning ‘Earlybirds’, Praise and Play, and the Madeley and Betley Youth Group • inspiring and nurturing existing and future leaders and ministers for the church, and • ensuring that all worship, regardless of its wide variety, celebrates our faith and encourages people in their faith.

In the following pages we show how we are bringing these priorities to life.

Celebrating, sharing and growing in God’s love 21 ... St Margaret’s Betley ...

Celebrating God’s Love “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”

Worship St. Margaret’s meets a wide range of worship preferences and provides a variety of liturgical styles in the course of each month. Our churchmanship could be described as ‘mainstream’, but catering now for an all-age congregation of different traditions and backgrounds with a good sprinkling of new Christians. The normal pattern of services and attendances is shown in the Appendix. In 2019 the number of people registered on the Electoral Roll was 98. Over the last ten years attendance at Sunday morning worship has increased by about 20%. The majority of our worshippers are over 60 and the number of children attending has fallen. We are open to fresh ideas for broadening our appeal.

“ I like worshipping at St. Margaret’s. It’s intimate and cosy” - Jeremy

Special Services The year sees many special services, including some held outside the church e.g. in the fields (Rogation); on the Green (Good Friday); at different village locations (Patronal festival); and at a farm (Crib service). Attendances are shown in the Appendix and are generally higher than on a standard Sunday.

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Church Music Music is an important and uplifting part of our worship. It is led each week by an RSCM affiliated robed choir (currently 20 adults plus four young people in Family Worship services) with an experienced organist/pianist and a choirmaster who is a member of the Betley Ministry Team. Hymns and songs are wide-ranging to meet the needs of the variety of worship, and a choir anthem is sung every Sunday morning. The choir also sings at most weddings held in the church. Both the tracker action organ and electric piano are in fine condition. In addition a small music group plays for the monthly services at Betley and Madeley.

“Singing in the choir allows me to sing the music I like with a great bunch of people.” - Lawrence

Bells The village is called to worship by a peal of six bells. A pool of ten people ring for 30 minutes before all Sunday morning and evening services as well as for weddings and other special occasions.

Betley Primary School During term time clergy lead a weekly assembly in church for the whole school. The school use the church for special seasonal services and performances through the year and occasionally groups of children participate in Sunday Worship.

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Sharing God’s Love “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

The Reading Room The Reading Room in the centre of Betley celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2020 and is an important part of St. Margaret’s outreach in the community. It was purchased and restored as a response to persistent nudges by the Holy Spirit. It is dedicated to God and we try to listen to Him and use it to His glory. The building is held in trust by the Lichfield Diocesan Trust through a deed made between that Trust and St. Margaret's PCC. Brightly furnished and enjoying a homely feel, it is a friendly place for villagers to meet for a hot drink and a chat, and to access local information. It provides free Wi-Fi and there are computing and copying facilities. There are well-attended coffee mornings three times a week, monthly ‘Taster Talks’, and the very popular Bank Holiday walks start and finish there. It is an ideal venue for the Youth Group and fellowship groups. Over the last four years the Reading Room has hosted monthly lunches for parishioners who live alone. Tasty home cooked food is served and the company of clergy and the “I like the warm welcoming meal are both much enjoyed by all guests. atmosphere when you arrive for lunch at the Reading Room. Everyone there is so pleased to have the opportunity Charitable Giving to enjoy each others' company. It is a delightful Each year the PCC selects four charities to promote and support by way of Charitable Giving Sundays. For 2020 the charities to be helped in this way experience.” are: Bishop's Lent Appeal, Christian Aid, The Children’s Society and Stoke- Janet based charity Sanctus St. Mark’s which supports those who have left the country of their birth to seek sanctuary in the UK. Fellowship groups also support specific charities and sometimes take the opportunity to tell the church congregation about them, often including a Dementia Friendly Church visit from a charity representative. St. Margaret’s is accredited by the Diocese of St. Margaret’s Church and the Reading Room are collection points for the Lichfield as Dementia Friendly. Members of Newcastle Staffs Foodbank. During the past twelve months 1,542kg of the church participate in Dementia Friends food have been donated (equivalent to about 3,000 meals). training sessions.

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Betley Parish Magazine The monthly magazine includes both church and community information, and with a print run of 440 copies reaching some 80% of the village it is a great channel for community outreach. Revenue earned from subscriptions and advertising contributes significantly to the upkeep of the graveyard.

Facebook Page Our Facebook page increases awareness of how we share Christ’s love in the community with St. Margaret’s Website news about our people, our services and special events. The page’s followers have increased over Our website gives an overview of the life of the the past year including some from Australia. Our church, the building, and regular and special social media team is developing a strategy to services. During the COVID-19 closure the front use our social media presence more effectively, page of the website made online church services e.g. during 2020 members of the ministry team available and provided links to service sheets have uploaded a brief ‘Thought for the Day’ each and pew sheets each week. morning.

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Growing in God’s Love “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

“There are lots of fun crafts.” (Earlybirds) Daisy (Age 9)

Earlybirds Earlybirds is for the children to enjoy sharing Christian learning through games and creative activities during most Communion services. It is held in the vestry and run by a small dedicated team of volunteers. Ages of children range from 0-8 years. Numbers vary, but there is always lots of fun to be had. Families and young people from St. Margaret’s and All Saints’ take part together in Praise and Play and the Youth Group (see page 4 and 5).

“I really like Earlybirds and telling everybody what we have been doing.” Adam ( Age 7 ) Ecumenical relationships A small Methodist Chapel in Betley holds a service two or three Sundays a month for a declining congregation. We Fellowship groups join together for special occasions in the year such as the Service for Christian Unity and the Good Friday service on Three well established fellowship groups play a major part the Village Green. Methodists are also valuable members in the life and spiritual development of our church. They of our fellowship groups and the churches send a joint meet twice monthly with a combined regular membership Christmas card to all villagers. of 30-35 people. They are generally self-organising and lay-led with oversight from the Ministry Team.

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Leadership and Administration Our vicar is supported by a Ministry Team which, whilst The Vicar Vacancy subordinate to the PCC, shares leadership of the ministry of Curate Rev. John Beswick Pallister (both parishes) the church. It meets six or seven times a year to plan services and resources, oversee spiritual activity in the parish, support Ordained Local Rev. Pamela Lane the training and development of lay and ordained ministers Ministers Rev. Alan Bailey (both parishes) and make recommendations when requested or where appropriate to the PCC. Churchwardens Jennifer Walton *(also Reader with PtO) Kevin Hamer **(also Reader with PtO) Over the last three decades this team, despite changing membership, has been at the heart of the spiritual life of the Licensed Reader Jean Ainsworth (both parishes) parish. Its current members are shown in the table. Readers in training Ann Deavall, Nick Deavall Membership does not have to be role specific and is open to change as others are ‘called out’ to serve. The team is bound together by co-operation, frequent communication and a * Lay Chair of PCC shared commitment to the mission of the Church. ** Choirmaster The Ministry Team acts as enabler, encouraging others in the use of their talents. There is considerable lay leadership of fellowship groups and worship, in addition to lay participation in all aspects of ministry. A small Family Worship group meets bi-monthly to plan all Family Worship services.

Finance The Parish is a net contributor to the Diocese, with a 2020 Parish Share set at £38,500, 36% above the cost of ministry. It is paid by monthly instalments which are up to date. Worshippers are encouraged to use the Gift Aid Scheme, using weekly envelopes or monthly standing orders. In recent years revenue income has exceeded expenditure. Following major capital spending on the church fabric and facilities, we are currently planning to install a major new lighting scheme for which capital funds are in hand.

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Church Building St. Margaret’s is a comfortable and atmospheric place in which to worship God. There was a major restoration of the church in the 1840s under the direction of George Gilbert Scott. The organ was installed in 1895 funded by the parishioners. This is a splendid Victorian instrument and has been renovated numerous times, the last time in 1996, again paid for by the people of Betley. It is used in all main services. In 2003 four pews were removed to make space for a children’s corner and the kitchen area and toilet have since been upgraded. Effective management of the building has ensured that the church is maintained to a high standard and there are no outstanding major repairs required. The church is open daily, the vestry and other sensitive areas being protected by a security system. Based on the 2019 Quinquennial Report we do not currently foresee the need for another major capital spending project but we make annual provision for future capital spending needs in a Special Projects fund.

Weddings Baptisms and Funerals In 2019 there were two weddings, six baptisms, and five funerals at St. Margaret’s, facilitated and overseen by our Church Clerk. Four weddings were planned to take place in 2020. Baptisms are usually conducted within the 9.30 am service.

Graveyard There is an old graveyard around the church and an operational one across the road which is the local cemetery for the area. The PCC is responsible for the upkeep of both. There were three burials and five interments in 2019.

Administrative support As well as the Parish Office in Madeley, the vicar is supported in Betley by an effective administrative and communications team covering many aspects of parish management. Issue of Service Plans and Orders of Service, and the publicity of events specific to the village is undertaken by Betley laity, using facilities at Church and in the Reading Room.

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Madeley Services

Time Service Dates Liturgy

Quiet Communion, with short Sunday 8.30 am Holy Communion Every Sunday address

Family Worship and Parish Holy Communion (Common Sunday 11.00 am 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays Worship-based), Hymns and Eucharist with Church for Kids children’s groups

Non-Eucharistic morning Sunday 11.00 am Family Service 1st Sunday worship

Sunday 6.30 pm Living Streams Praise 1st Sunday Alternates with Betley

Mothers and Toddlers, with Monday 9 for 9.30 am Praise & Play Weekly in term time short service

Wednesday 9.15 am Parish Prayers Weekly in side chapel Informal prayer time

Quiet Communion, short Thursday 10.00 am Holy Communion Weekly in side chapel address

Madeley Service Attendance

Easter 118 (96 communicants).

Advent 510 Church 250 School services Christmas 221 (79 communicants) Average Sunday Attendance 80 + 7 children

Appendix (Although Sunday attendance of children has dropped in the last few years, overall attendance by children has risen markedly with the advent of Praise & Play – its average weekly attendance is 23 + 18 children) Our Worshipping Community numbers for the last Mission Statistics were 169 adults + 58 children & young people.

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Betley Services and attendances

Time Service Dates Liturgy 2019 attendance

Informal all-age leaflet service, 1st & 3rd confession, interactive talk, intercessions, 52 adults Sunday 9.30 am Family Worship Sundays hymns, songs and anthem, young 7 children people’s participation 2nd & 4th Common Worship Order One with hymns, 55 adults Sunday 9:30 am Sung Holy Communion Sundays setting and anthem 5 children*

Flexible combination of traditional and Sunday 9:30 am Service of the Word 5th Sunday 50 adults3 children contemporary liturgy and music

With prayer for healing (see p5). Sunday 6:30 pm Praise 1st Sunday 26 adults Living Streams Alternates with All Saints’

2nd & 4th BCP service with hymns, sung responses Sunday 6:30 pm Evensong 11 adults Sundays and canticles Informal said service; prayer Tuesday 9:15 am Morning prayer Tuesday 8 adults predominates

Tuesday 9:15 am Holy Communion 1st Tuesday BCP 8 adults

* attend Earlybirds but join for Holy communion

Special services in 2019 Service Adults Children

Easter Son-rise 6.00 am 25 Easter Day 9:30 am 75 18 Harvest 80 24 Remembrance 112 16 Carol Service 196 12 Farmyard Crib Service over 250 inc. children

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